It turns out that the overwhelming majority of senior Americans are satisfied with Bushs prescription drug program. That fact--which was news to me--actually presents a challenge to any Democratic effort to reform it. And the Republicans, to say the least, have done a poor job defending what turns out to have been easily defensible. Im not endorsing the program or anything like that, but you really do wonder why this couldnt have been a successful campaign issue. Are the Republicans really so inept that they dont even know how to take credit for their own big spending?
Yes, we are that inept. Were not called the stupid party because our core ideas dont make sense. Were stupid because we cant sell them to the American people.
The critics still whine that Bush gave away our bargaining power with the pharmas. The Ds were using the "free market" argument against it and were still getting traction in the election.
Really, Bush needs to do a better job of explaining to people that giving "bargaining power" to the feds is not letting the free market work but instead an invitation to price controls and shortages like we saw with the flu vaccine a couple years back.
Don Harrison, No wonder we cant explain our core beliefs when we seem not believe them, ourselves. We are for the free market, except in some cases, like that of prescription drugs. Were for smaller government, except when were not because we might be able to make a program that encourages you to vote for us. Maybe someone had a conscience about taking credit for the program, even if it is popular, since it makes a hash of conservative principles? Honestly, this was one of the issues that kept some conservative voters at home.
The link is gone, but did the article indicate that the seniors who liked the program had voted for Republicans in overwhelming numbers as a result of their delight with the program?
Perhaps no one brought it up before the election because it would have sparked debate, causing seniors to think, "Oh yeah, it WAS much easier before," and "Oh yeah, I hate that policy. Why, Im not satisfied at all!"